


Berry Good Teacher

by Canadian_BuckBeaver



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anatomy, Based on a Tumblr Post, Heavy Petting, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, No Smut, Studying, Tutoring, almost sexy time, edgeberry, skeleton studies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-04 16:59:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10283741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canadian_BuckBeaver/pseuds/Canadian_BuckBeaver
Summary: Both Berry and Edge take similar classes in the same university.  Gaster, sick of Edge's dismal grades, hires Berry as a tutor.  Edge refuses to be taught anything so Berry must switch up his teaching methods...Why yes I did write this when I was studying anatomy and pathology.... Why do you ask?Slightly based off of Buttercupsticksnlicks Underuniversity AU





	

            Berry hummed a cheerful little ditty as he hung up his poster on the bulletin board outside the biology classroom before taking a step back to admire his work.  The light blue coloured paper stood out from the rest of the other flyers.  The boring, white sheets of paper advertising trades or offering textbooks.  The orange pages, advertising the various fundraising attempts by the university.  This bulletin board in particular had the most traffic, which is why Berry was hanging his own here.

            The main problem with university, as much as Berry enjoyed it, was that it was dreadfully expensive and, even with his hefty scholarship and loan, he was bound to run out of money eventually… especially with that student loan hanging over his head.  And, as ridiculous as the thought was, the Magnificent Sans could not afford the time to work.  With the course load that he was required to do just to maintain his scholarship, it was often considered a miracle that he had time to do his homework, study for a bit, eat, and perhaps even sleep.  Thank the stars he had discovered a taste for ‘coffee’.  Where, amongst this scheduled mess, would he find the time to work a mentally and physically exhausting job and still maintain his grades?

            Thus, his brother’s brilliant idea was nothing short of a godsend.  “ _why don’t you tutor some of the other students of your year?_ ” the lanky skeleton had asked him over the phone.  “ _you’ll be able to study while you work, make some money, and perhaps even get to socialize a little_.”  Stars how he missed his elder brother, even if he was a lazy, narcoleptic, and a bit of a drunk most of the time.  Papyrus had raised Sans on his own since their father had abandoned them as young monsters.  He had stayed behind in Snowdin when Berry had gone off to the capital’s university, more than content to sleep at his sentry post or even at his hot dog stand, and drink until he had passed out at Muffet’s.  They were lucky enough to be able to talk on the phone every other day, but it just wasn’t the same.  Berry wasn’t able to keep an eye on him or hug him. Stars how he missed his brother’s hugs.  He hoped the house was still in some form of working order too.

            “WELL, WELL RUNT…  I WAS WONDERING WHEN YOU WERE GOING TO COME AROUND THIS NECK OF THE WOODS…” a coarse voice chuckled, causing Berry to squeak and whip around, already feeling his skull flush slightly.  That voice… that would belong to the other problem at the university.

            It was Edge.  Handsome, tall and seemingly made up of all sharp corners.  They had shared several classes together within the year, this semester it being English and Biology.  Berry knew him personally and how well, or, more accurately, how unwell, he did in classes.  A bit of a surprise for being the eldest son of the famous Dr. F. Gaster, the supreme Royal Scientist to King Asgore.  But he had found his niche first with the basketball players, then with the football and then the wrestling team.  Meaning that, in addition to being the school’s local sport hero, he was also wealthy… and that had long since gone to his head.

            “I WAS SURE THAT IT WAS YOU PASSING ALONG THESE FLYERS.” He continued, waving a slightly crumpled one, much to Berry’s irritation.  Those copies cost five cents in the library.  A small fortune for someone without any foreseeable work.

            “You know you could have just asked me, Edge,” Berry replied, reaching for the precious paper in the hopes of salvaging it and rehanging it, “I would have told you it was me.”

            Edge raised the poster up to his eye lights and reread the page while Berry fumed.  It was so unfair that he was just so short.  He barely stood level with the bottom of Edge’s ribs and Edge had to pull this crap?  “SO HAVE YOU HAD ANYONE INTERESTED YET?” asked Edge, an odd glint to his eye.

            Berry shook his head.  “Not yet.  I just put the posters up though so hopefully I’ll hear back from someone soon.”

            “WELL THEN I SHALL TAKE THIS ONE.” said Edge, shoving the paper into his textbook.

            “You know, I specifically designed it so that you could pull off a copy of my number or you could even add to your phone.  There is no need to take the whole poster.”  Berry folded his arms and glared at him, annoyed at the chuckle he got in return.

            “PERHAPS YOU DID,” Edge said, “BUT I WOULD PREFER TO SHOW MY FATHER THAT IT IS A… ‘LEGIT’ OPPORTUNITY.  HE HAS DECIDED THAT I REQUIRE A TUTOR TO BRING MY GRADES UP, OR I WOULD BE FORCED TO GIVE UP SPORTS.  IF WE DO CHOSE TO GO WITH YOU, YOU’LL BE HEARING FROM US.”  Edge said drolly as he walked away from the confused skeleton.  Well, it sounded promising, like he might actually have someone to tutor… But why, of all the times, was Dr. Gaster now coming down on his son?

 

* * * * *

 

            The small buzzing sound jarred Berry from his thoughts on his essay.  Searching through the jumbled mess of papers on his desk he finally found his cellphone and flipped it open, relieved that it wasn’t another dick picture.  He had thought that putting his cellphone number on the poster had been a smart idea. That way, people could contact him whenever they needed any extra help, it would be very convenient and easy to get a hold of him.  Of course, assuming that the monsters attending school here were adults was a little too much to ask of them.

            “Hello?” he asked, relieved to have a small break in the identifying the symbolism of the sewer and the disgusting ‘water’ in the human’s classic movie ‘Shawshank Redemption’.

            “ **Hello.  Would this happen to be Berry?  Berry offering the tutor services?** ” a crisp, professional voice asked him.

            Berry gulped.  “Yes it is,” he responded, trying hard to stifle his nerves.  “Can I ask who this is?”

            “ **My name is Wallace Gaster, you may know my son, Edge, as you both attend the same university and apparently some of the same classes as well.  He speaks quite highly of you.** ”

            Berry bit back a startled gasp.  This was the famed Dr. W. D Gaster!  There was no doubt about it.  “Ah yes,” he said, hoping his excitement didn’t creep into the phone to much, “Edge had said that you might be calling.”

            Gaster did not sound the least bit perturbed by this information.  “ **Good.  So my son knows that I finally mean business.  I want you to tutor him in Biology and in English as to raise his mark up by at least thirty percent so he can pass into the next year.** ”

            Berry could not hide his gasp.  “But sir!” he tried to protest, “that is…”

            “ **A very large and almost impossible task, I know.** ” Gaster answered smoothly.  “ **However if he wishes to continue on, and not to be expelled and thus left behind, there is no other choice.  Therefore I am going to offer you a special deal.  I see on your little flyer that you are asking for only seven dollars an hour… why so low?** ”

            Berry rubbed his nasal bone.  “I figured that it would attract more students to me, and not discourage them if they couldn’t afford to pay me a lot of money upfront.”

            “ **Good idea.** ” Gaster said, a lighter tone of voice.  It was like he had passed some sort of secret test.  “ **However, if you agree to tutor my son, and only my son, I will give you fifteen dollars an hour, with an added monetary bonus for each grade he increases by.  This will include any assignment, quiz, test or anything that the teacher passes out.  Are we clear?** ”

            Berry felt his pupils shining bright.  This is way better than he could have asked for.  “Yes sir!” he said eagerly.  He found that he wasn’t just excited for the money but excited to have been given the chance to hang out one-on-one with Edge too.  He had a feeling that Edge and him could be good friends if they tried.

            He was going to turn Edge into an academic star!

 

* * * * *

            “Come on Edge,” he whined loudly, causing other monsters to look up in irritation from where they were in the library, “you at least have to try and write this essay on your own.  I can’t just do this for you.  That’s cheating.  I’m only here to help, not to do.”

            It had been a week and a half since he had agreed to help Edge with his grades.  And a week and a half of torture it had been.  Was it really only a week and a half?  It seemed like forever ago.  Edge it seemed could be less inclined to do anything school related and more inclined on trying to use his father’s bribe in order for Blue to do the work for him.

            Edge looked up from his phone.  He had already informed Berry that he had a ‘dope-ass party to get to’ and was informing his friends he would be late.  Sighing dramatically, he put his phone away and leaned on the circular table.  “YOU SURE ENJOY MAKING THIS DIFFICULT FOR ME… DON’T YOU?” he asked, staring up at him with a devious smirk.

            Berry pouted as he tried to ignore the slight blush on his cheekbones.  Edge making such deliberate eye contact with him rattled his bones.  “It’s not that like that, and this really isn’t that hard Edge!  Look here.  A free example for you.  The only time that they use any colour, in the entirety of this film, is on the girl’s red dress.  It is to draw your eyes to it and to her.  To make you remember the girl!  It makes it personal for you when you see the red coat later in the movie…” he stopped, seeing Edge’s eyes unfocused and staring blankly at him.  “You… you didn’t hear a word I said just now… did you?” he asked.

            The lanky skeleton just stared at him, not saying a word.  He didn’t even move a single bone or blink his sockets.  Convinced that Edge had fallen asleep with his eyes open, Berry began to pack up his things and go.  This wasn’t worth any type of money.  A brick wall would be more exciting to talk to…

            Edge suddenly grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back towards him.  Berry briefly struggled against his hold but froze when he thought he felt Edge gently trace his ribs with one hand.  As he shuddered, Edge pressed gently on his chin, forcing him to look up at him. 

            Edge finally looked serious.  “THE WORK PAPERS.” He said.  “ARE SYMBOLISM, BOTH FIGURATIVELY AND LITERALLY, OF THE CONTROL THE NAZI’S HAD OVER THE CAPTIVE JEWS.  THOSE WERE THEIR LIFE LINES.  WHO WAS ALLOWED TO LIVE?  WHO WAS WORTHY TO WORK?  WHO WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE THAT FATE THAT SO MANY OTHERS WERE NOT…” Edge swallowed hard, against a lump in his throat.  Even though he and Berry were monsters and had no ties with the great human tragedy, to imagine the horror that other humans had gone through… it was unthinkable.  “WHEN THE MAN HAD HIS PAPERS AND SHOWED THEM TO THE OFFICER ON THE TRAIN, IT WAS A SIGN THAT HE WAS BECOMING ACCUSTOMED AND PREPARED TO WHAT HE WAS FORCED TO GO THROUGH TO SURVIVE.” He finished, looking down at Berry.

            Sockets widening, his pupils turning into stars, Berry stared up at him.  In that self-absorbed, sport obsessed, bone-headed skull there was a brain after all.  Not just any kind of brain.  An incredible one.  “Wowie…” Berry said.  “I didn’t even think of that one.  That’s awesome Edge.  You need to use that one!  I guarantee that it’ll be the only one in class used.  You’ll graded for uniqueness for sure.  Quick, before you forget, write it.”

            “PERHAPS AFTER THE PARTY…” mused Edge.

            “Now!” Berry demanded, settling down on the chair beside Edge and sliding the laptop over to him, crossing his arms.  Edge always seemed in such a hurry to get away from him.

            Sighing dramatically, Edge looked over the small skeleton.  “IF IT’LL MAKE YOU HAPPY…” he said, turning away from him and already beginning to type.  Berry murmured and watched him type…

            Missing the small smile on Edge’s skull.

 

* * * * *

 

            “He just makes me so irritated, Papy!” Berry was pacing around in his dorm a couple days later after the library incident.  That night he had finally convinced Edge to write out the essay, change a few sentence structure errors and finish it before he headed out to his ‘party’.

            Berry continued ranting.  “He doesn’t take me seriously unless I’m angry or about to storm out on him.  That’s when, and only when, suddenly he’s involved with the lesson.”  He decided to leave out the soft touching.  That had to be his imagination.  His ridiculous crush on Edge, playing with his mind.  Those long, searching looks.  That hidden smile.  Berry was naïve but not stupid.  Those were reserved for anime or romantic-comedies.  Not real life.

            Papyrus chuckled on the other end of the phone.  “ **sounds like he isn’t interested in his studies, B.** ” he said, a readjusting sound heard in the background.  “ **are you sure that his grades are as bad as you say they are?  it seems to me that he is smarter than he lets on.** ”

            “I’ve seen a couple of his papers myself,” sighed Berry.  He paused.  “Though… now that you say that it seems more like… more like he gets bored or gives up.  He usually starts out really strong.  He has some topic that is insightful and incredible, and then, by the end of it, it’s more like a two-year old made it.  Mistakes, grammar, spelling and all.”

            His brother paused.  “ **perhaps he needs less tutoring per say,** ” he started gently, “ **but more like someone to encourage him.  so he knows his ideas are validated.  there are people and monsters out there that are incredibly smart but, since school or tests bore them, they end up failing.  or even if you tried a new way of ‘teaching’ him or helping him retain the information…** ” 

            Berry paused.  That… that made sense.  How many times had he went to hand in an assignment or test and there was Edge, staring out the window or at a wall? Countless.  Maybe even all of them.  He constantly fell asleep in class, never turned in the assignments but, on the rare chance that he was called on during class, he always answered correctly.

            There was a knock on his door.  “I got to go Papy.  He’s coming over for a last cramming session.” Berry said as he opened the door, urging Edge through.

            “ **alright.  let me know how things go.  Miss you B.** ”

            “Miss you too, Paps.” Berry said as he hung up the phone.  Turning back to his guest, he was surprised to see Edge stretched out on his bed reading the biology book…

            Upside down but it was a start.

            Berry pulled up his desk chair, deciding against saying anything about Edge laying down on the job.  “So!” he said brightly.  “Should be an easy test!” he said, flipping his textbook to the skeleton diagram.  “We almost have an unfair advantage, don’t we?”

            Edge just sighed.  “LET’S JUST GET ON WITH IT.” he muttered darkly.

            Berry blinked.  That wasn’t a good sign.  “Is something wrong Edge?” he asked.

            Craning his head to look at Berry he snorted.  “MY GRADES AREN’T RISING FAST ENOUGH FOR MY FATHER’S LIKING.” He said.

            This took Berry’s self-confidence down a peg.  He had thought that Edge had been making wonderful improvements.  Sure in biology he had only received grades in the 70s since they had begun their little sessions but it was better than the failing grades he had been getting.  And his last few English papers had been damn near perfect.

            “Well, we just have to keep trying.” He said, looking positively.  This would be the first real test Edge would be facing since they had begun working together.  Time to show Gaster what they could really do!

            Snorting, Edge replied, “YOU DO REALIZE THAT IF I DON’T DO WELL ON THIS TEST THAT MY FATHER IS GOING TO BE LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR TUTORING?  ONE THAT CAN PERHAPS DO THE JOB THEY ARE BEING PAID TO DO?”

            Berry slammed his textbook shut.  “If you were more receptive to me, you would be doing leaps and bounds better than you already are!” he snapped.

            To his credit, Edge didn’t even jump.  Instead he chuckled, placing the open book on his skull he said, “I’M GOING TO TAKE A NAP, BABY BLUE.  PERHAPS I’LL ABSORB IT BY OSMOSIS IF YOU READ IT TO ME.” he sighed, as if getting comfortable.

            Fuming Berry, stared at the skeleton.  He still wasn’t taking this seriously!  Not one bit!  What was it that Papy had said?  Change up the learning type?  Make his lesson different and exciting?

            Berry could do that.

            In a moment he was straddling Edge’s rib cage and pushing the textbook from Edge’s face.  “HEY!” he sputtered, but froze when Berry moved himself up, settling himself on his upper ribs.

            He opened his jaw to say something else but flushed when Berry began to stroke his skull.  “Do you know what the main purpose of the skeletal system is, Edge, specifically for fleshy monsters?” he asked, almost dreamily.

            Edge stared up at him.  For a moment he gaped at Berry.  “Support?” he finally answered.

            Berry nodded.  “It provides support of soft tissues and attachment points for tendons.  It also works at providing protection for organs from injuries, assistance in movement, mineral homeostasis or equalization, blood cell production, or, triglyceride storage in the yellow marrow…

            “And the skull is so interesting!”  Berry continued stroking it, noticing Edge leaning into the touches.  “It looks like solid bone but is actually a several of bones, mashed into one.  The frontal bone, think forehead, orbital of the eyes, temporal for temples and the mandible and maxilla of the jaw.  Then we need to talk about its joint.  A special joint too, of the fibrous family.  A suture joint, named for the sutural ligament that it is made up of.  Shock absorption.  Originally formed in the womb, it is the original soft spot on the head.  Through synotosis in aging, the sutures are replaced by bone and become the immoveable joint we see today.”

            Berry’s hands moved down, his inner self being thrilled to discover that it caused Edge to give a muffled moan.  “Cervical vertebrae,” he said, before tracing the front of Edge’s shirt.  Scowling, he gave a pull on it.  No go.  Sharper fingers overtook his and gently unbuttoned it, laying free the expanse of white bone.  Berry gave a bright smile at the skeleton underneath him.

            As he stroked down the front of his ribs, Berry sat back a ways.  “Sternum,” he said as he gently stroked where the true ribs joined, “where the ribs come together to provide support and protection for many of the squishy monster’s important organs.” Edge groaned and began to pant, clearly enjoying the attention.

            “The ribs located higher are known as true ribs,” Berry said, “they are thicker and stronger than the other ribs, and where the important organs such as the heart and lungs are in fleshy creatures.  Floating, or false ribs, are located further down, and do not directly connect with the sternum.” He made sure to trace the bone’s movements.

            Edge’s only response was to pant.  So Berry continued with his lesson.

            “Clavicle leads to my brother’s favourite bone, the humerus, which then leads in to the radius, think radical outside, and the ulna, under.  The carpals,” he said, kissing Edge’s wrist, “is where humans suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive movement. They connect to the metacarpals and then phalanges.” He said, dropping a kiss to Edge’s fingertips.

            “Thoraic vertebrae,” Berry said, “makes up the vertebrae in the chest.  Think of the human’s superhero Thor.  Thor has a big chest, thoracic.  They lead in to the lumbar spine which connects to the illium.” He said, tracing Edge’s curves of his pelvis.  Berry took his time with these.  They were finer and more graceful than his.

            “Do you remember what the tailbone is referred to as?” he asked suddenly.

            Edge gasped as Berry pinched his crests. “COCCYX!” he said.

            Berry shot him a giant grin.  “I knew you were smart Edge!  Now the illiac leads into the sacrum, where we like to view all those sacrum lacing pictures,” he grinned as Edge flushed, naughty thoughts tripping through his skull, “which leads into the coccyx.  The pubis, or pubic bones, connect near the tail bone on the ischium loops, and under that is the pubic symphysis.  Make sense?” he asked running his hands to the pubis and tracing the joint there, teasing at the ischium.

            Edge nodded.  “PUBIS TO ISCHIUM TO PUBIC SYMPHYSIS BONES.” He gasped.

            Berry grinned again.  “You so have this Edge! Now after the pubis is my brother’s second favourite bone for his ridiculous puns, the femur,” he said, pressing down on the thick heavy bone through Edge’s pants.  “That leads to what is commonly known as the knee, or patella, the synovial joint of the leg, which leads down into the lower leg bones. Tibia on the inside, fibula for the outside, talus and metatarsals for the ankle and then phalanges for the toes.”

            Edge was a flushed, sweaty mess now.  He stared hard at Berry, his sockets glassy.  Through his dark jeans Berry could see bright red magic gathering for him.   Deciding he had teased Edge enough Berry hoped off of him.  “There we are!” he said.  “I think you’re ready for that test tomorrow!”

            Edge gaped at Berry as he grabbed his phone.  The taller skeleton looked like he was going to say something.  Instead he said nothing, with a deep scowl and flush he grabbed his textbook and left Berry’s dorm room, his pelvis still glowing.

            Berry watched him leave before giving a sigh of relief.  He looked down at his own pants, glowing bright blue but mostly hidden by his similarly coloured shorts.

 

* * * * *

 

            When Berry’s phone rang the next day he was expecting it.  He had suspected that Edge had failed the test or that he himself had taken things too far with his ‘tutoring method’.  There was a line of professionalism and he had definitely leaped over that, right into the deep pool of misconduct… What would his brother say?

            “Good afternoon Gaster,” he said, checking the caller ID.

            “ **Berry…. I don’t know how you did it but I just got notice from your teacher that Edge not only passed the test, but also received a hundred percent on the test.** ”

            Berry was floored.  Perhaps his brother knew what he was talking about after all.  “Glad to hear it!” he said, and meant it too, “perhaps we can continue this streak?”

            “ **I do hope so.  For Edge’s sake,** ” said Gaster, but there was no heat to his words.  “ **If you could continue tutoring him Blue, I would most greatly appreciate it.** ”

            “I would be honoured to sir.”

            “ **Very well.  I leave him in your capable hands.** ” Gaster said before clicking off.

            Berry let himself give a loud victory giggle.  He knew that he and Edge could do it!  Sure he was a little worried at first but there was nothing that they couldn’t do if they put their minds to it!

            A loud knock startled him from his thoughts.  Hopping off his chair he unlocked and opened the door to see a familiar figure standing in his doorway.  “Ah Edge!” he said, “I just got off the phone with your father!  That is terrific news!”

            Edge flushed pink and gave a small smile as he stepped inside the room.  “ALL THANKS TO YOU BERRY.” he said, looking around the single room.

            Berry just smiled.  “So what brings you here today Edge?  Have anything in particular you want to go over?” he asked.

            The tall male nodded.  “I WAS LOOKING AHEAD IN THE TEXTBOOK AND WILL NEED A HAND WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER.” He admitted sheepishly.

            Nodding, Berry reached for his own textbook.  “I can do that.  I haven’t read ahead on it myself.  Do you remember what it is on?” he asked.  His dorm room momentarily blurred in front of his sockets and Berry found himself flipped onto his bed, on his spine, staring up at Edge.  “Edge?” he asked as the tall skeleton pressed himself closer.

            “THE NEXT UNIT,” Edge began to untie the blue bandana around Berry’s vertebrae, “THE NEXT UNIT IS ON REPRODUCTION.” He smirked as Berry let out a little squeak.  “WHAT DO YOU SAY TEACH?” he asked huskily, starting to grind down on Berry’s pelvis, “UP FOR SOME PRIVATE LESSONS?”

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a kudos or a comment for me if you enjoyed! Really helps boost a busy beaver...
> 
> Or, if you can, buy me a ko-fi:  
> http://ko-fi.com/A476NAZ


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